Do You Run Anti-Malware Software On Your Computer? [Reader Feedback]

The past year has seen the shattering of the myth that Macs are impervious to malware. Despite this, I don’t run resident anti-malware software on either of my Macs, opting instead for a program that scans for viruses on demand. Am I tempting fate?

Another question might be whether I’m being inconsiderate to Windows users, by not using an antivirus solution that catches Windows viruses that pass through my system. Even if Mac viruses are pretty rare, a Mac user can still pass a Windows virus along to a Windows user, such as via email. Still, given the relative scarcity of Mac viruses, I prefer not to slow my system down with an always-on program. This is especially true with my Macbook Air, which is starting to show its age.

How about you? Are you running anti-malware software on your system? If no, why not? If so, what operating system do you use, and what are your anti-malware programs of choice? Let us know in the comments.

I do hate how it can bog a system down, but at the same time, I feel that no matter how safe I think I am, there’s no way to know if you’re clean if you don’t check. That’s why I run a virus scanner on my Mac that only runs when I ask it to. It doesn’t stay on in the background.

Terry says:

Unfortunately, it is impossible for a virus scanner to detect all malware. I’m not willing to pay for, install, and run multiple programs and then still not know for sure whether the computer has malware or not. Instead, I keep my OS and application software up-to-date, don’t run risky stuff like peer-to-peer and torrent software, and stay away from sketchy websites.. So far, this has worked for me.